Float valve



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May 28 1940- s. w. E. ANDERssoN FLOAT. VALVE Filed June 22, 1937 Patented May 28, 1940 UNITED STATES FLOAT VALVE Sven W. E. Andersson,

Evansville, Ind., assigner to Servei, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation f of Delaware Application June 22,

5 Claims.

My invention relates to iloat operated devices, and it is an object of the invention to provide such a device having automatic compensation for liquids of different speciiic gravities.

The above and other objects and advantages of my invention will be better understood from the following description and accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and of which the single figure diagrammatically illustrates a float valve embodying the invention.

In many liquid supply systems a iioat valve is employed to control the flow of liquid and maintain a constant liquid level in the system. An example of such a system is that of a liquid fuel burner in .which a float valve is interposed between the source of supply of liquid fuel and the burner. Where accurate control of liquid flow is desired, it is imperative to maintain aconstant liquid level in a float chamber irrespective of any changes or variations in the specific gravity of the liquid. This is particularly true in liquid fuel burners where accurate control of the burner flame is necessary to eifect the desired amount of heating.

In iioat valves of the conventional type, the liquid level in a float chamber varies considerably with changes in the specific gravity of the liquid. When the speciiic gravity of liquid decreases, for example, the liquid level in a float chamber becomes higher; and, conversely, when the specic gravity of the liquid increases, the liquid level in the chamber becomes lower. Where accurate control of liquid flow is of primary importance, any variations in the constant liquid level in a float chamber is objectionable.

In accordance with my invention, in order to compensate for variations in specic gravity of liquid, I provide a oat valve of the character diagrammatically illustrated in the drawing." The float valve shown includes a casing I0 providing a chamber II having inlet and outlet openings I2 and I3. The inlet opening I2 may be connected to a delivery conduit of a liquid supply system, and the outlet I3 may be connected to a conduit for conducting the liquid to a place of use.

Within chamber II is disposed a needle valve III which cooperates with the inlet opening I2 to control the ow of liquid into the chamber. The upper end of valve I4 is fixed to a lever I5 which is pivoted within the casing I0 at I6 in any suitable manner. To one end of lever I5 is connected a iioat I1 and to the opposite end of the lever, at the same side of pivot I6 as the vneedle valve Il, is connected a body IB which is submerged in the 1937,` Serial No. 149,591

liquid. A balancing weight I9 is provided on lever I5 above the iioat Il.

In the drawing the Weight of iioat Il' is indicated as P1 and the volume of liquid displaced by the float is indicated as V1. Similarly, the weight of thesubmerged body I8 is indicated as P2, and the volume of liquid displaced by the body is indicated as V2. 'I'he weight on the lever I5 at the point the needle valve I4 is connected thereto is diagrammatically indicated by a weight P, and the weight of balancing weight I9 is indicated as P3. 'I'he distances of the different parts of the system 'from the pivot I6 are indicated as a, b, and c;

In the device shown the needle valve I4, lever I5, and oat Il diagrammatically represent the elements of a float valve of the conventional type. Assuming for the moment that the submerged body I8 and balancing weight I9 are not con-- nected in the system, and disregarding the weight of lever l5, the relatively small volume of liquid displaced by needle valve it, and the smalll upward force of liquid on the small valve area, the equation for equilibrium is S specific gravity of theliquid From the above equilibrium equation, that is, 'when the needle valve Il is closed, it will be seen that any change in the specific gravity of the liquid will vary the liquid level in chamber II. When the specific gravity of the liquid decreases from a predetermined value, for example a greater amount of liquid must be displaced by the float I1 to establish equilibrium, and hence the liquid level will rise to a higher level before the valve Il is closed. On the other hand, when the speciilc gravity of the liquid decreases from the predetermined value. less liquid need be displaced by the iioat I 1 to establish equilibrium, and hence the liquid level will be lower when the valve is closed.

In the oat valve embodying my improvement and including the submerged body I 8 and balancing weight I9, the equation for equilibrium is:

From the above equilibriuml equation it will be seen that the float valve provided may be made independent of the specic gravity of the liquid -by making Vz=V1b. With a device of this character, therefore, a substantially constant liquid level may be maintained in chamber I I irrespective of any variations or changes in speciiic gravity of the liquid therein.

It will also be noted that the compensated float system provided will balance even when there is no liquid in chamber II. Under these conditions the last equation may be written as follows:

Instead of making V2c=V1b in the equation for the compensated system, so that a substantially constant liquid level is maintained in chamber II, it may be possible to effect over-compensation by making Vzc greater than Vib. With such over-compensation, the liquid level in chamber I I becomes higher when the specic gravity of liquid increases; and the liquid level in the chamber I I becomes lower when the specic gravity of the liquid decreases. This is exactly the opposite of what takes place in a oat valve of the conventional type in which no compensation Vis made for variations in specific gravity of the liquid. When over-compensation is provided by making V20 greater than Vrh, the equation for the compensated system with no liquid in chamber I I is:

From this equation it Will be apparent that with overcompensation, the valve Ill is in its closed position when there is no liquid in chamber II, thereby making it necessary to open valve Il manually or to provide other suitable means to open the valve when operation of the float valve is started.

In order to simplify the equilibrium equations for the conventional oat valve and float valve embodying my improvement, the relatively small amount of liquid displaced by needle valve I4 has been disregarded. In employing my invention in any float valve, the volume of liquid displaced by the needle valve can readily ne taken into consideration to obtain the desired compensation and maintain a predetermined liquid level irrespective of changes in specific gravity of the liquid.

Although I have more or less diagrammatically shown an embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention may be used in many different ways without departing from the basic principles described. I therefore aim in the following claims to cover all such modifications and changes which come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a liquid level sensing device, a lever, a float connected to operate said lever and having a desired submersion volume V', and a member connected to said lever to oppose said float and having a submersion volume V2, Where V2 is equal to V' multiplied by the mechanical advantage relative to said float.

2. In a liquid level sensing device, a lever, a oat connected to operate said lever and having a desired submersion volume V', and a member connected to said lever to oppose said float and having a submersion volume V2, Where the product of V2 and the mechanical advantage of said member is equal to or greater than the product of V and the mechanical advantage relative to said oat.

3. For use in a liquid supply system, a device providing a chamber to hold liquid in the system, said chamber having an inlet and an outlet for the liquid, mechanism to maintain a predetermined liquid level in said chamber, a float connected to operate said mechanism, and a member submerged in said liquid and operatively connected to said mechanism, the Weights and submersion volumes of said iloat and said member having a xed relationship such that operation of said mechanism is the same irrespective of specic gravity of the liquid.

4. For use in a liquid supply system, a device providing a chamber to hold liquid in the system, said chamber having Van inlet and outlet for the liquid, mechanism to maintain a desired liquid level in said chamber irrespective of changes in specic gravity of the liquid in the system, said mechanism including a oat and a member adapted to be at least partly submerged in the liquid, said iioat and said member being so constructed and arranged that a force due to buoyancy exerted by said float at a certain depth of submersion is substantially equal to or less than a force due to buoyancy exerted by said member.

5. In a liquid level sensing device, a lever, a oat connected to operate said lever and having a desired submersion volume V less than *li-z total volume of' the float, and a member connected to said lever to oppose said iloat and having a submersion volume V2, Where V2 is equal to V' multiplied by the mechanical advantage relative to said float.

SVEN W. E. ADERssoN. 

